pay-off

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   A payment in full

   A payment in full; the state of having been paid in full.

   • At the current monthly payment level, it'll take 32 more months to reach pay-off.
2. 2

   A reward.

   • What's the pay-off for putting up with her nonsense for ages on end?
3. 3

   A return on investment.

   • How soon could we realistically expect any pay-off from loading up on shares of that company?
4. ›+ 3 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      A bribe.

      • The prison break never could have succeeded if it hadn't been for multiple pay-offs to various corrupt officers.
      • Darlinghurst cops will get you/Clean and bright/Rich and white/See where pay-offs will get you
   2. 5

      A resolution or justification of an event that has already occurred.

      • Where's the pay-off for that whole segment of the plot?
      • If there is a significant or surprising event in the story, it must be foreshadowed earlier on. When the event that was foreshadowed occurs, that's the payoff.
      • In a surprising pay-off, [Michael] Moritz says he has applied for citizenship of Germany, the country where so many family members were murdered.
   3. 6

      Ellipsis of payoff pitch.

      • The bases are loaded, so he'd better make the pay-off count.

The neighborhood

• neighborpayback
• neighborpaydown